When the leaves start to fall, the air feels crisp, and the mood shifts to embrace the delightfully creepy, you know that Halloween is near! Whether you’re already feeling the spirit of the season or waiting for that pumpkin-infused spark, we’ve curated a list for you.
Here are 10 of the best Halloween movies set during the season to celebrate the spookiest holiday of all.
Halloween Classics Great for Families
1. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
For almost 60 years, families have welcomed this animated television special into their homes. Follow along as Charlie Brown and his friends celebrate Halloween even while Linus waits in the pumpkin patch, hoping to see the Great Pumpkin appear. Based on the comic by Charles M. Schulz, this cozy favorite about the power of hope, belief, friendship, and tradition is sure to warm your heart.
2. Casper (1995)
Every millennial remembers the friendly ghost named Casper from the mid-1990s. Casper was the first movie to feature a “fully CGI character” in a lead role. But more than that, the story of a lonely ghost who finally finds friendship is whimsical, heartwarming, and fun.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The debate continues whether Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is a holiday movie or a Halloween classic. We argue it can be both! In this impressive spectacle, stop-motion captures Jack Skellington, the bored pumpkin king of Halloween Town, and his newfound fascination with Christmas. With Danny Elfman composing a masterful score, you’re sure to feel the Halloween spirit in time before putting up any Christmas decor.
4. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Hocus Pocus caused such a craze (in a good way!) in the 1990s that a sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, was released almost 30 years later! In the original, three evil witches are accidentally released and begin to wreak havoc on Halloween. It’s up to a teenager, his new friend, and his little sister to stop the witches from terrorizing Salem forever in what some consider to be one of the best Halloween movies for families.
Halloween Movies for the Romantic
5. Practical Magic (1998)
Finding love is hard enough. Finding love despite a generational curse will require some Practical Magic. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star in this cult classic for witches and romantics alike. The movie is based on the bestselling book by Alice Hoffman. Light some candles, pour a glass of wine, and settle in for a spooky comedy-romance like no other.
6. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Johnny Depp is Ichabod Crane in this gothic New England film, perfect for Halloween and romance-seekers. Based on “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, Tim Burton directs the story of an investigation into the serial murders in the autumnal town of Sleepy Hollow, New York. Follow the clues and you just might avoid the perils of the Headless Horseman, too.
‘No Holding Back’ Halloween Movies
7. Halloween (1978)
With ‘Halloween’, John Carpenter created a horror genre gem and a franchise that has stood the test of time. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a riveting debut performance as Laurie Strode in this 1978 slasher. When an evil serial killer escapes incarceration to kill again on Halloween night, Laurie stands in the way of his insatiable appetite for death. Will she survive to see another Halloween? Experience this cult classic and you’ll never look at Halloween the same again.
8. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Follow the rules of Halloween night, or else! That’s the lesson in this spooky anthology. Consisting of four tales that strike fear and terror into the hearts of Halloween and film lovers, ‘Trick ‘r Treat’ bursts at the seams with horrorific scares and teaches us that some traditions are worth keeping.
9. Hell Fest (2018)
Fall is the season for carnivals and haunted attractions. This horror slasher uses the setting of a traveling amusement park, Hell Fest, and follows a group of friends hoping to enjoy the spooky experience. However, the scares become frighteningly real as a serial killer known as “The Other” begins hunting the group among the rides. After watching this Halloween fan favorite, you’ll never look at a haunted attraction the same again.
10. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Inspired by the original ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ written by Alvin Schwartz, the 2019 movie has that perfect Halloween vibe to spookify your season. Upon finding a book of scary stories in an old haunted house, a group of teenagers is plagued by horrors that jump straight from its pages. Directed by André Øvredal with story by Guillermo del Toro, this film will have you questioning whether every scary story is worth knowing.